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#1
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Using dates during mail merge
Can anybody help please?
Using Word 2000 (9.0.2760) we are in the process of setting up a mail merge using a standard letter for the main document. The data source comprises in each record, name, address and other data fields. Data will accumulate slowly in each record, but we need to carry out mail merges at frequent intervals. Letters generated during each mail merge must be dated with the current date, but each date must be retained in the relevant data source records for generating €˜directories/catalogues at a later time (using separate mail merges) for review. It would also be beneficial for each mail merge to produce only those letters with the current date, ie. not all record are merged. How can this be done, please? Many thanks in anticipation. |
#2
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Using dates during mail merge
What are you using for the data source? Frankly, it does not sound to me
like mail merge is really the best option for this. How are you proposing to retain each date in the data source? In a new record? In separate fields in each record, or multiple dates in one field? These sort of things need to be considered in the first instance. -- Hope this helps. Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my services on a paid consulting basis. Doug Robbins - Word MVP "gjupp" u41094@uwe wrote in message news:7f127da0d4ac1@uwe... Can anybody help please? Using Word 2000 (9.0.2760) we are in the process of setting up a mail merge using a standard letter for the main document. The data source comprises in each record, name, address and other data fields. Data will accumulate slowly in each record, but we need to carry out mail merges at frequent intervals. Letters generated during each mail merge must be dated with the current date, but each date must be retained in the relevant data source records for generating 'directories/catalogues' at a later time (using separate mail merges) for review. It would also be beneficial for each mail merge to produce only those letters with the current date, ie. not all record are merged. How can this be done, please? Many thanks in anticipation. |
#3
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Using dates during mail merge
Thanks for the reply.
For the data source we are using a standard word doc generated by mail merge, using standard fields for names, address, etc, and we assumed that dates would be retained in separate fields in each record. For the moment, until the 'system' is set up, we are entering the current date manually in date fields for relevant records, then using skip-if (not equal to this date) to merge only those records. This retains the date but is crude indeed, as the skip-if date criterion has to be changed for each merge. There must be a better way. Hope you can help to streamline the process. Thanks. Doug Robbins - Word MVP wrote: What are you using for the data source? Frankly, it does not sound to me like mail merge is really the best option for this. How are you proposing to retain each date in the data source? In a new record? In separate fields in each record, or multiple dates in one field? These sort of things need to be considered in the first instance. Can anybody help please? [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] Many thanks in anticipation. -- Message posted via http://www.officekb.com |
#4
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Using dates during mail merge
You can compare a date in a field with the current date with your skipif
field {SKIPIF {Mergefield DateField \@ "yyyyMMdd"} {Date \@ "yyyyMMdd"}} -- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org gjupp via OfficeKB.com wrote: Thanks for the reply. For the data source we are using a standard word doc generated by mail merge, using standard fields for names, address, etc, and we assumed that dates would be retained in separate fields in each record. For the moment, until the 'system' is set up, we are entering the current date manually in date fields for relevant records, then using skip-if (not equal to this date) to merge only those records. This retains the date but is crude indeed, as the skip-if date criterion has to be changed for each merge. There must be a better way. Hope you can help to streamline the process. Thanks. Doug Robbins - Word MVP wrote: What are you using for the data source? Frankly, it does not sound to me like mail merge is really the best option for this. How are you proposing to retain each date in the data source? In a new record? In separate fields in each record, or multiple dates in one field? These sort of things need to be considered in the first instance. Can anybody help please? [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] Many thanks in anticipation. |
#5
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Using dates during mail merge
Many thanks indeed. This works fine. However, to go one step further: Is it
possible to compare the current date with a DateField that is formatted (typed) dd+ordinals MMMMyyyyy? Graham Mayor wrote: You can compare a date in a field with the current date with your skipif field {SKIPIF {Mergefield DateField \@ "yyyyMMdd"} {Date \@ "yyyyMMdd"}} Thanks for the reply. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] Many thanks in anticipation. -- Message posted via OfficeKB.com http://www.officekb.com/Uwe/Forums.a...merge/200802/1 |
#6
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Using dates during mail merge
I am pretty sure that it is not possible.
-- Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org gjupp via OfficeKB.com wrote: Many thanks indeed. This works fine. However, to go one step further: Is it possible to compare the current date with a DateField that is formatted (typed) dd+ordinals MMMMyyyyy? Graham Mayor wrote: You can compare a date in a field with the current date with your skipif field {SKIPIF {Mergefield DateField \@ "yyyyMMdd"} {Date \@ "yyyyMMdd"}} Thanks for the reply. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] Many thanks in anticipation. |
#7
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Using dates during mail merge
You mean compare with things that are in your data source like
7th February2008 1st March2008 etc? As long as you can use date and numeric field switches that generate precisely the date format you need to compare with, you should be able to use a simlar technique, e.g. { SKIPIF "{ MERGEFIELD mydatetext }" "{ DATE \@"D" \*Ordinal }{ DATE \@" MMMMYYYY" }" } Haven't tried it myself though, and at best you will only be able to do exact comparisons (equal or not equal), not determine whether one date is before the other. -- Peter Jamieson http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk "gjupp via OfficeKB.com" u41094@uwe wrote in message news:7f567b2bcda89@uwe... Many thanks indeed. This works fine. However, to go one step further: Is it possible to compare the current date with a DateField that is formatted (typed) dd+ordinals MMMMyyyyy? Graham Mayor wrote: You can compare a date in a field with the current date with your skipif field {SKIPIF {Mergefield DateField \@ "yyyyMMdd"} {Date \@ "yyyyMMdd"}} Thanks for the reply. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] Many thanks in anticipation. -- Message posted via OfficeKB.com http://www.officekb.com/Uwe/Forums.a...merge/200802/1 |
#8
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Using dates during mail merge
You need to consider whether mail merge is really the right tool for this
job. Maybe something more along the lines of the method contained in the last of the following series of articles is more appropriate Please Fill Out This Form Part 1: Create professional looking forms in Word http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=22 Part 2: Adding Automation to your Word forms. http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=46 Part 3: Learn more VBA (macros) to automate your forms. http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=119 Part 4: Use custom dialog boxes in your Word forms http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=127 Part 5: Connect your AutoForm to a database to save input time and keep better records! http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=136 -- Hope this helps. Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my services on a paid consulting basis. Doug Robbins - Word MVP "gjupp via OfficeKB.com" u41094@uwe wrote in message news:7f44f2a2e9eb1@uwe... Thanks for the reply. For the data source we are using a standard word doc generated by mail merge, using standard fields for names, address, etc, and we assumed that dates would be retained in separate fields in each record. For the moment, until the 'system' is set up, we are entering the current date manually in date fields for relevant records, then using skip-if (not equal to this date) to merge only those records. This retains the date but is crude indeed, as the skip-if date criterion has to be changed for each merge. There must be a better way. Hope you can help to streamline the process. Thanks. Doug Robbins - Word MVP wrote: What are you using for the data source? Frankly, it does not sound to me like mail merge is really the best option for this. How are you proposing to retain each date in the data source? In a new record? In separate fields in each record, or multiple dates in one field? These sort of things need to be considered in the first instance. Can anybody help please? [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] Many thanks in anticipation. -- Message posted via http://www.officekb.com |
#9
Posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
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Using dates during mail merge
Doug
This is very much the advanced course for me. It will take me some time to get my head around this technique, but no doubt, it has considrable advantages over mail merge. I just need to spend the time working on it. However, many thanks for taking the time to advise. It is much appreciated. Doug Robbins - Word MVP wrote: You need to consider whether mail merge is really the right tool for this job. Maybe something more along the lines of the method contained in the last of the following series of articles is more appropriate Please Fill Out This Form Part 1: Create professional looking forms in Word http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=22 Part 2: Adding Automation to your Word forms. http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=46 Part 3: Learn more VBA (macros) to automate your forms. http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=119 Part 4: Use custom dialog boxes in your Word forms http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=127 Part 5: Connect your AutoForm to a database to save input time and keep better records! http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=136 Thanks for the reply. [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] Many thanks in anticipation. -- Message posted via OfficeKB.com http://www.officekb.com/Uwe/Forums.a...merge/200802/1 |
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